For her directorial debut as Silo’s Artistic Director, Sophie Roberts has presented both Silo and Q Theatre audiences with a theatrical flavour that will (hopefully) induce a new craving on the palate of Auckland theatregoers. That’s not to say that this production has been chosen simply for its untraditional ingredients, but anyone who knows the work of playwright Tom Sainsbury will also know that he does not pull his punches.

Sainsbury’s dialogue is (and always has been) his greatest weapon as a playwright. His unabashed willingness to take things to places that we all know are there, but are not necessarily willing to go ourselves, results in a guilty pleasure when allowing his subversive characters to be held accountable when they take us there instead. There are hints of Jean Genet and Edward Albee in both the extremity and domesticity of his writing, and he brings a whole new meaning to the term Chekhov’s gun(s). [More]

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In an age that has seen it all, it is no longer possible to fulfil the avant garde imperative to “shock the bourgeoisie”, but as the enfant terrible of New Zealand theatre, playwright Thomas Sainsbury remains determined to give it his best shot. 

His principal strategy is to find humour in acts of unspeakable cruelty. But this device has become a staple of popular entertainment and audiences have no problem accepting ironic representations of the most horrific violence as just another comedic convention. 

Of course there is nothing wrong with using conventional forms, and Sainsbury does bring a gleeful exuberance to his lovingly crafted images of psychotic mayhem and casual debauchery. [More]

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Meet the Giles family. High country cattle farmers held together by a tight sense of history and tradition. 

Matriarch Leanne is tight-lipped, high-brow and will not suffer fools, while father Phillip is dying of every conceivable illness under the sun and working on his final will.  Thirty-two year old Anthony still lives at home and won’t leave his room.

Granddaughter Tamsin is a furious ball of sexual energy and doesn’t know where or how to express herself. Daughter Courtney is a bodybuilder, not afraid to stick it to any of the males, married to Francois, a French pretty-boy. Aunt Diane is antagonistic and resentful of the lot of them. 

There’s also newly fostered son, Rupert, a complete innocent thrown from South Auckland in with this mad bunch, who can’t decide whether he wants to be part of this crazy family or run for the hills. 

Every couple of months the clan gather for Sunday Roast, a chance to catch up and be together as a tribe, no matter the petty squabbles.  But first, there’s ‘The Beast’ to kill, as part of the ritual of preparing the meal…

Thomas Sainbury’s first script to be fully professionally produced* is a whirlwind of physical comedy for two actors through the above highly oddball characters, hilariously awkward and sticky situations, grimy intent and deliciously conceited twists. A dark, very Kiwi, unease permeates the whole script and it’s allowed to fall into the dramatic only for the briefest of moments to bring home a truth or two and acknowledge the darkness at its fringes. 

Performers Adam Gardiner and Toni Potter are ridiculously well-suited to the material and characters, flitting seamlessly between any of the personas they choose with a lightning fast flick of body and posture.  

The script itself gives them an easy warm-up to the material at first, but they’re both soon relishing the delectable opportunities afforded to them by this riotously anarchic story. She may not be playing as many characters as he, but neither pause for breath for a moment and we’re left gasping. 

Director Sophie Roberts gives both performers that scope and texture needed to bring this home, while keeping the action clear to the audience on all sides. It’s a well thought-out, through-rendering of a script that could easily have become total anarchy with a less resourced company and Roberts delights in leading her team to the gleeful gallows humour of it all. 

The set is a moveable feast (sorry for the continued food metaphors) of abattoir inspired practicalities and lighting tricks. There are even a couple of little hidden gimmicks in the raised traverse stage itself that lend a swiftness to the changing of place, pace and character. The staging may be dark and spartan, but it’s there to complement and highlight the colourful characters and lively situations. 

Yes, it is all played as OTT as possible and yes, it is hilariously funny, but this is Sainsbury working with the most refined palate I’ve seen to skewer accepted New Zealand norms. With the All Blacks playing the English as the alternative for entertainment on opening night, the audience fair lap up the cultural ironies and home truths on offer here as a counterpoint. 

Again, I apologise for the groan-inducing food metaphors, but this production is a vast savoury selection with plenty of meat on the bone and a delicious crackling of wit, topped off with a bitingly tart twist in the dessert that leaves an audience satisfied but definitely wanting to come back for seconds. Yum! 
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It was produced in Wellington’s Fringe 2010 by The Moving Theatre Company (a co-op – reviewed here) and in the Dunedin Fringe 2011 by the Alpacas collective (reviewed here).

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